After the Rains and Dreams (雨と夢のあとに)

25.000

Wednesday, April 13.

Finally, I've saved the best for last.

Close your eyes and relax.

Keeping your eyes closed, envision the inside of your house.

Entryway.

Living room.

Kitchen.

Bedroom.

Are you sure the house is empty?

Don't you see the figure of someone, somewhere in the house?

If you can see it, that means there is a spirit in your house.

No mistake about it.

Wait a second!

This time, open your eyes and fix them upon the place the spirit was.

Don't take your eyes off of it.

It's faint outline is starting to materialize...

- No mistake abou- - This is ridiculous!

There is no such thing as spirits!

Hello, Sakurai residence.

Ame?

It's about 11 o'clock there, right?

Have you taken your bath yet?

Take it by midnight, okay? So you won't disturb the neighbors.

I know!

Just because you're by yourself, don't forget the important things.

Go to bed early, get up early. Eat regularly, go to the bathroom regularly.

Don't eat snacks at night or you'll get fat.

Ew! Dad, you don't have to tell me that stuff!

You know I have to tell you or you'll forget.

So, did you catch that rare butterfly? The Troides magellanus?

Haven't I told you before?

The story goes that the Troides magellanus is a phantom butterfly.

Whoever catches it will become a phantom themselves that same day!

Because if it gets caught it won't be a phantom anymore, right?

Hey, if you get lonely, you can go to Take-san's, okay?

Who's lonely?

I'm not a little kid, you know.

Don't worry so much!

But you-

And stop calling me every day!

You're coming home soon anyway.

Got it?

Got it.

She's such a little kid.

- How long was it? - It was 1 minute 22 seconds!

- It's been three days since Dad left for Taiwan. - Good job!

If I said "I'm not lonely," I'd be lying.

Because it's always been just the two of us.

Only four days left.

I was playing hide-and-seek, with my face pressed against the big tree.

As it started to rain, the sound of the cicada stopped, and I looked up at the sky.

I know you're here, even if I can't hear your voice.

I know you're here, even if I can't see you. I know it.

When the rain stops, will I be able to see you?

When this dream is over, will I be able to see you?

Will you promise me that I'll be able to see you again, after the rain and this dream is over?

Even if I were to die, I'll be waiting for you.

- Thursday, April 14th. - So how's living alone?

Great. I don't have to look after Dad or anything.

Really? Are you sure you're not crying every night?

Crying "Daddy!"

I bet that's what you did, Ame!

I wouldn't be able to help myself either, though.

Because your dad is sooo cool!

What's wrong, Ame?

What's this?

Oh, something happened here last month.

A patrolman got killed.

That's right. He was trying to save a little girl.

Welcome home.

Ah, good afternoon.

Did you take a bath really late last night?

Huh? No, I didn't.

I guess it was the people above me, then.

The water pipes were so loud!

This apartment complex is getting so run down!

I took a bath a little after 11.

Was it too loud?

Then it was definitely the people above me.

I'm gonna go complain.

I haven't seen your dad lately, is everything okay?

Yeah, he's on a trip right now.

I see.

Be careful with the fire from the stove, okay?

The scariest thing is a house fire, after all.

I will.

Who am I? Who am I?

Ojisan!

What are you doing?

I thought we could all eat together.

Thank you!

- Shall we go? - Okay!

Tada~!

It looks delicious!

Ame's favorite, rolled cabbage!

I'll go warm them up.

Don't bother with the cabbage, eat lots of chicken, okay?

If you eat lots of chicken, your breasts will grow like BO~O~O~ING!

Ojisan. That's called "sexual harassment."

What? I'm just thinking of what's best for you!

Don't you want your breasts to go BO~O~O~ING?

Don't pay attention to that sexual harassment guy, dig in!

- Here you go. - Thank you!

All you've been eating lately is boxed meals from the convenience store, right?

When you're along you don't feel like making anything though, right?

We wanted to come sooner, but the club's been packed lately.

That's a good thing though, it is a club after all!

So you closed it today then?

No, Hokuto's watching it for us.

By the way, how did Ho-kun's college entrance exams go?

He failed all of them.

He's kind of sensitive about it so whatever you do, don't bring it up.

I get it.

Oh, yeah!

When Tomoharu-kun gets back, let's all go somewhere together!

Good idea. How about camping?

No way!

Finally!

There it is! There it is!

I did it! I did it!

Ame! I did it! I caught the phantom butterfly!

I did it! I did it!

Ame.

Saturday, April 16.

Oh, no!

- Are you okay? - Yes.

- I'll help you. - Thank you!

That's what neighbors are for.

Thank you so much.

Come back here!

Please, come in.

Butterfly?

He went all the way to Taiwan just to catch a butterfly?

It's a really rare one, so rare it's called the "phantom butterfly."

Because of a new government restriction, starting next year you can't catch them anymore.

So it's his last chance, huh?

So he's a scholar, then?

No, it's just a hobby of his.

He's really a jazz bassist.

Thank you.

So that was your dad, huh?

I'm sorry, it's always so loud.

No, it's not that.

It sounded really good.

So that's why it's been so quiet lately.

He's coming back tomorrow.

If it gets too loud, just come tell us, okay?

You're a good girl, Ame-chan.

I wish I would've gotten to know you earlier!

How do you know my name?

It's written on the nameplate outside, right?

I saw it and thought what a pretty name it was.

Who thought of it? Your mother?

Yes...

I'm Koyanagi Akiko.

You can just call me Akiko.

Akiko-san, what kind of job do you have?

I don't know if you could call it a job, but I draw picture books.

They don't sell very much, though.

That's so cool though!

If you need anything, you can come see me anytime, okay?

Okay.

Sunday, April 17.

I can't believe him.

Not one phone call in three days.

Oh well.

Ouch!

Excuse me, I wasn't paying attention.

Thank you.

It's okay. I'm sorry, too.

No, not at all.

Excuse me.

Mahiru-sensei!

Huh? Are you alone, Ame-chan?

Tomoharu-san hasn't come home yet?

Well, he said he'd be home in the afternoon, but...

Really? I bought a cake and everything...

Oh well. We can eat it after we study, okay?

Okay.

Hey. Tomoharu-san's really late.

Maybe his flight got delayed.

Maybe. Or what if the plane crashed?

What?

I'm just joking.

Maybe he decided to stay in Taiwan a bit longer.

Maybe he fell in love with a beautiful Taiwanese woman.

No way.

Hey, you never know!

Tomoharu-san is kind of spacey sometimes, but when it comes down to it, he's pretty good-looking.

Hasn't anything like that ever happened before?

Huh? Maybe.

What do they speak in Taiwan, again?

English? Chinese?

Wait, I can't speak either of those!

Oh, no! This is terrible.

Dad!

Welcome home!

Aren't you...?

Good evening.